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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23745271">Bad Romance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreezingFics/pseuds/FreezingFics'>FreezingFics</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Boy Band, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, At least they think there is, Big Bang Worker!Goro, Goro goes by Ren to hide his identity, M/M, Of fucking course it was, Past Character Death, Post-Canon, Rating May Change, Sort Of, Was this inspired by a rock cover of Bad Romance?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:27:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,354</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23745271</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreezingFics/pseuds/FreezingFics</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Let’s start a band.” </p>
<p>Akira suggested it as if it were just a game to play in their boredom, among the bustle of the Big Bang Burger they had settled in for lunch.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Let’s start a band.” </p>
<p>Akira suggested it as if it were just a game to play in their boredom, among the bustle of the Big Bang Burger they had settled in for lunch. They didn’t have anything to study yet as college had just started for the group of boys. Ryuji had finally decided to become a gym teacher, Yusuke was still pursuing his art, and Yuuki  had gotten a scholarship to play Volleyball. All didn’t exactly have much on their first few days. Even Akira’s business classes didn’t have much to begin with.</p>
<p>All eyes came to him, all wide in surprise. Even Yusuke seemed shocked at the suggestion, and he was normally calm about every weird thing that came from anyone’s mouth. From across the table in the booth, Yuuki furrowed his brows, “Wait, you can play an instrument? You can sing?”</p>
<p>Akira shrugged, leaning on the table, “I can play guitar, electric and acoustic. And yeah, people say I can sing pretty well. I can dance too, but I mostly just make stuff up, I guess.”</p>
<p>“Oh, bull shit!” Ryuji prodded him with his elbow, making his friend laugh, “You can’t be that good at everything!”</p>
<p>“I’m not good at everything!” Akira defended, “Like, I’m awful at math and science, Makoto has to grill me to get me to remember a single formula.”</p>
<p>“Well, I think we should hear it before we say anything. If you would, Akira?” Yusuke motioned his hand as if to let him begin, clearly curious of his friend's ability.</p>
<p>The ex-leader twirled a hair with a finger, looking at the wall like it was suddenly interesting, “Well, jeez, way to put me on the spot…” Not to mention, they were in public. In Leblanc, maybe he’d be fine with it, but this was a Big Bang Burger. Not like they were the only ones in the building. “Here, Futaba got some of me singing in Leblanc from her bug. Sent it to me as blackmail, but lucky for me, I’m proud of my voice.” </p>
<p>Akira reached into his bag, which was thankfully no longer taken up by Morgana. At least for today, he stayed with Futaba. He pulled out his phone and tapped it a few times, pulling up the file she had sent a few days ago and playing it.</p>
<p>“-Maybe it’s a dream, maybe nothing else is real, but it wouldn’t mean a thing if I told you how I feel…”</p>
<p> It was a bit hard to hear with the music that was already playing in the restaurant, but the boys' faces all dropped in surprise at the strength and beauty of their leader's voice. It was deep, which made sense, hitting lots of low notes, but still managed to get notes that might be a bit difficult for some boys their age. </p>
<p>All of them were so lost in the song that they didn’t notice that the employee had come up with their order until he cleared his throat loudly. Akira quickly turned his phone off, stopping the music as all eyes came to the man. He still smiled as he set down the tray of food, earning some happy faces from the group as the sight of fries and burgers came into view, “Was that you singing, sir?” </p>
<p>“Oh, yeah, just something my sister recorded without me knowing. Siblings.” Akira chuckled. The server wasn’t new, and it wasn’t new that Akira thought he was kind of cute. He had short black hair, though unlike his own and it was well kept and styled. Hell, Akira’s had grown out enough to make a small pony tail at times. However, perhaps the best part, and the part he was unknowingly staring at, was his pretty red eyes. He must have a type, Ann would always say.</p>
<p>His name was Ren, and while he didn’t know him beyond his looks, Akira would always try to work his charms. </p>
<p>Ren chuckled, shaking his head, “Sadly, I wouldn’t know much about that. I’m an only child. You have a very nice voice, though. I’d suggest laying off the greasy food if serving it wasn’t my job.”</p>
<p>“Aw, does that mean you wanna see me more?” Akira couldn’t help but shoot a small flirt, propping his elbow on the table and resting his chin on his hand. Ryuji rolled his eyes while Yuuki laughed, Yusuke not even really reacting in favor of starting to eat his fries.</p>
<p>The worker scoffed with a smile, rolling his eyes as well. He avoided answering and keeping himself up for longer, “Enjoy your meal. Have a good day, sirs.”</p>
<p>All of them let him leave with a general sentiment of ‘thank you’ and ‘you too’ before all starting to get into their meals. Ryuji bit into his burger with a noise of satisfaction, one that bordered into something lewd. Perhaps realizing this, he shot Akira a grin and bit into it again, this time making his happiness much more vocal and high pitched. He earned an elbow in the ribs for that, but another laugh from Yuuki.</p>
<p>“But, seriously though…” Akira spoke through his own bite of a burger, ruining the meaning behind the word seriously, “Yuuki, I’ve heard you sing too, and you’re really good.” The boy flushed at the compliment, and the raven continued, “I remember you picked up drums last year of high school, Ryuji.”</p>
<p>Ryuji chuckled, setting his burger down in exchange for starting on his fries, “Much to the dismay of some of the neighbors. Then I played some sick solos for them, and they said I was good.”</p>
<p>“Not many people know this, but I actually know how to play an instrument myself.” Yusuke was the only one who actually swallowed before speaking, already halfway done with his fries at this point. “I didn’t wish to disturb my teacher with the noise, so I didn’t play often, but I learned how to play the bass in what free time I had. Those who have heard me have said I’m good, though admittedly I haven’t played in a while, so I might be rusty.”</p>
<p>“See? It’s perfect!” Akira motioned his drink towards Yusuke before bringing it up to his lips to drink. </p>
<p>Yuuki, who had seemed a bit nervous before at the thought of a band, now seemed a bit more confident as the others revealed their talents. He held his hand up a bit, as if raising his hand to ask to speak, “Actually, I… I also know how to play the piano, a keyboard probably wouldn’t be that different at all.”</p>
<p>“This could be a good opportunity, to expand our horizons…” Yusuke commented, smiling softly, “It has been a while since we’ve had attention drawn to us, though this time we could be more in the open.”</p>
<p>Ryuji groaned, still reluctant to the concept. He bounced his stronger leg nervously, still trying to actually think this through, unlike other decisions, “Can any of us even like, write songs though? And Akira, I swear to God if you say you can, I will be fully convinced you aren’t human.”</p>
<p>“Well, I can try it. And if it sucks, we can all try to write something together.” Akira tried to reason, but let that go out the window as he leaned his head on his friend’s shoulder. He tried to do his best puppy dog eyes he could behind his glasses as he plead, “Pleaaaseee? I just think it’d be fun!”</p>
<p>The blonde chewed his lip as he looked down at the almost pitiful sight of his old leader, unable to deny the thought of it any longer. It did sound pretty exciting after all, even if no one would show up. No harm in trying, he supposed. Ryuji sighed and smiled, pushing Akira off of him, “Alright, alright! We’ll start a band!”</p>
<p>The group cheered when he agreed, celebrating the start of their band by finishing their meal. Akira heard a laugh from behind him, and looked to see Ren staring from behind the counter. Red eyes seemed to shine as they watched the group, and he waved when he saw he had been heard. The raven smiled back at him, throwing up a peace sign before going back to his group and food. </p>
<p>After all, he had to lay out all the plans he already had. Had he acted like it was more spur of the moment to get his friends to agree more easily? Of course he had. A Trickster never dies, even if his usual methods are gone. </p>
<p>From being called Phantom Thieves to Shadows… It would be an odd change, but Akira was hoping he’d be inspiring more hope than actual shadows did.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 1: Seventeen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Maybe Akira shouldn’t have gotten his hopes up so much. Or at least let himself be a bit more realistic in how it was going to look at first.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maybe Akira shouldn’t have gotten his hopes up so much. Or at least let himself be a bit more realistic in how it was going to look at first.</p>
<p>With himself living in a cramped attic, Ryuji in an apartment still with his mom, and Yusuke in a dorm, the only one they could turn to was Yuuki, who lived in an actual home. They were just thankful he had a garage they could play in and minimize the disturbance to his family. Most of their instruments were pretty amerature, but at least they were somewhat professional. Yusuke had even upgraded, though Akira paid for it to not let him go days without a substantial meal. Thankfully, Futaba had helped him get the rest of the equipment needed, only asking for video game time as payment. </p>
<p>And to help her with homework. One of those was a bit more sly than the other, but Akira respected it.</p>
<p>“So, how much did you guys practice?” Ryuji was the first to speak up once everything was set up, a large grin on his face. It was their first big practice together, and despite his initial hesitancy, he had gotten really into the process. Turns out he had a weird knack for song writing, even found it fun. He read sheet music the best out of all of them, something that surprised everything in the band and their friend group.</p>
<p>“I ended up rather busy, but your video calls did help a lot, Ryuji.” Yusuke smiled at him and his beam of pride, “It’s probably the most I practiced in those times, but I thankfully managed to get a few more hours outside of the calls.”</p>
<p>“My parents were really excited to hear me playing piano, so I actually managed to get a lot in! They wanted to hear all my progress.” Yuuki chuckled with a soft flush on his face, earning a few sounds of endearment from the others. The Mishima family was rather supportive, after all that happened to their son. Akira was glad they had begun to try and involve themselves more on their own terms.</p>
<p>Akira thought back to the previous two weeks, full of planning and the beginning of school work. He had shared a few video calls with Ryuji himself, practicing vocals and his guitar with the drums. It had been surreal to hear one of the originals come together with just two of the instruments, making it sound like it was actually coming together into real music. He looked to his case, and saw the few stray yen bills he had inside. “I actually performed at the park once. Even got some extra money, and a bit of word of mouth about the band I planned on making. Wasn’t perfect, but I guess people thought I was pretty good to pay me.”</p>
<p>“Awesome! You better put those funds into this, won’t get nowhere without the money.” Ryuji laughed as he spun one of his sticks between his fingers, something he’s gotten better at to try and look cooler. </p>
<p>“Hey, I have a family to feed.” Akira scoffed, though he knew full well he’d put the money into the band. They needed some better microphones, and some lights could help.</p>
<p>Ryuji laughed at the thought of his friend being something like a struggling single dad, though during their thief days, maybe that wasn’t too far off, “Right, Morgana must hassle you every day for tuna or some shit, the guy’s probably tired of cheap cat food.”</p>
<p>“My poor son, having to live off of fake chicken…” The raven rested the back of his hand on his forehead, leaning back as if feeling faint, “I don’t know how much longer he can take it…” He leaned back more, only for his balance to go off center and make him fall on his ass. The boys laughed at his clumsiness, a fall from grace from how he was as Joker. He’d have to get back into practice if he wanted his daydreams of the band to come true.</p>
<p>Yuuki pressed a high note a few times to get their attention as Akira pushed, “Okay, less talking, more practicing. We have a good few hours to spend, and I wanna hear how we do!” </p>
<p>With a few apologies and final laughs, the group all got themselves ready, preparing their sheets and instruments for the first song they planned to rehearse. Four songs to go through in four hours. Akira gave himself a small smile, and started the first song on the list.</p>
<p>------</p>
<p>Akira took a gulp of the tea in front of him, a very different choice from his regular coffee. However, after the practice, he knew tea would likely be better. He hadn’t sung that long in a long time, and despite all the water he drank, his throat was still itchy when he made his way back to Leblanc a few hours later, with Sojiro gone for the day to go shopping. He sighed as he put the cup back down, resting his head in the palm of his hand.</p>
<p>A certain little gremlin snickered at his side, “I think this is the least I’ve heard you talk in months. Maybe you should practice more.” </p>
<p>He gave Futaba a playful shove, though doing so made him notice that she’d certainly gotten a bit more firm, just in her arms. It wasn’t just from gym class, either, she had clearly been dedicated in her training with their friends. As he finished laughing, he finally spoke up to ask her about it, “Don’t think Ryuji will let you get out of the gym just because we practiced for a while. He was tired, but you know how he is.”</p>
<p>“One nap and he has the energy of a puppy.” Futaba sighed, mimicking his position on the counter.as she pouted, “I know, I know… It’s getting a bit easier, at least. That’s a sign I’m doing better, right?”</p>
<p>Akira simply nodded, taking another sip of tea. The girl laughed to herself, proud of her improvement. She wasn’t muscular, and didn’t want to be, but Akira could see just how much she had improved physically from when they had met. She still had a bit of a belly from the carbs she refused to give up, but he saw nothing wrong with that now that they weren’t all in skin tight suits and gear.</p>
<p>At the other side of him, another voice spoke up, “So, you’re really going through with this, huh? I have nothing against it, so long as you don’t take me to the practices. I don’t want my ears blown off, they’re more sensitive than your human ones…” Morgana moved a paw over one as he just thought of the noise they made, trying to soothe the fur down.</p>
<p>“Relax, kitty!” Futaba soothed, pout long gone, “I’m sure they don’t sound awful, and the tech I gave him wasn’t bad at all, either! Though, come concert time, I wanna be the one in charge of it so it doesn’t get messed up.”</p>
<p>“So, you’re already our tech crew?” Akira mused, his voice already starting to sound a bit better than when he had left the Mishima household. While Leblanc specialized in coffee, they sure had some wonderful teas. His throat felt soothed and warmed, his muscles relaxing deeper into the bar stool. </p>
<p>“Duh, you can’t have anyone else!” She waved his finger at him, “If you did, it would totally betray me as the team’s resident techie!”</p>
<p>“Anyway,” Morgana interjected before the two could start a small tangent, “How do you think it went? Did you decide on a debut date?”</p>
<p>Akira hummed, eyebrows raising as if remembering something. He finished his cup, getting up to put it in the sink as he began talking, “It went really well, actually. We decided we’d practice every other day for two weeks, then on the Sunday after that we’d perform. Yusuke is designing the poster, and some basic merch we’ll try to sell.” </p>
<p>“Oooo, exciting!” Futaba slighter bounced on her heels in the chair, still refusing to sit normally when the cafe had no customers, “What all are you gonna play?”</p>
<p>“Well, we figured a mix of original and covers are for the best. We’ll alternate what we practice.” As he added the cup to the already growing pile, he decided to roll his sleeves up and start washing. It would keep his hands busy as he talked. “We’ll do all the original songs first. King, Queen, and Slave will be the first one, since it’s the first we came up with. Second is A Woman, and third is Price. A Woman is actually an instrumental piece that Yusuke made. Finally, we’ll do Whims of Fate. Then, we go into the covers.”</p>
<p>Morgana’s tail swayed from side to side as he listened, eyes widening as his former student went on, “You’ve really thought a lot about this! I’m impressed with you four.”</p>
<p>“Hah, thanks…” Akira chuckled with a hidden flush to his cheeks. It felt more impulsive to him, but he trusted Morgana’s word. “I think you’ll like our cover list, Futaba.” The girl perked up in interest, having been one to suggest songs for them to cover. So had Ann, but Futaba had suggested at least a dozen while the older only did about three. “We’re doing Bad Apple, the song you caught me singing, y’know? Liar Dance was a pretty good one too, so we’re doing that, and then Rolling Girl, cause it’s a classic and if the audience disagrees they can fight me right then and there.”</p>
<p>“You’re right, and you should say it!” Futaba commented, a wide grin of satisfaction at her songs being chosen. “What’s the last one?”</p>
<p>When he laughed, it was a bit deeper this time, and his grin got sharper. While he washed the dishes, he turned his head to show that sharp smile, “A rock cover of Bad Romance, obviously.” A small pause, and the smile faded, “In Japanese, cause I don’t trust my English enough for that.”</p>
<p>Despite the hesitancy, Futaba’s grin changed to an ‘o’ shape at the news, “Ooooh, sick! Going out with one hell of a bang!”</p>
<p>“You mean the song you blasted when you were alone during Nijima-san’s pal-”</p>
<p>“ShhHHhhh, don’t say that!” Akira dropped the plate he was washing, creating a clatter that cut Morgana off. It was too late, however, as Futaba’s face changed from excitement to a devilish intrigue. She didn’t even say anything, just put her chin on the top of her hand and squinted at her somewhat-sibling to make him continue. While he could just not tell her… Akira knew it wouldn’t be that easy. He sighed, hiding his now beet red face by turning back to the dishes. “Okay, so maybe it was fitting to my current problems, sue me. Not like I knew you were coming back, Morgana.”</p>
<p>“Dude, that’s gay.”</p>
<p>“I know it’s gay, Futaba, shut up.” The remark had a bit more bite to it than he intended, something that always happened when that history came up. That palace. That whole… situation that left a giant bad taste in his mouth whenever he thought of casino’s or ships. </p>
<p>Thankfully, Futaba seemed to get the hint, doing as he said for now with a small flinch. There was a moment of heavy silence, only getting heavier when Akira shut the water off. Morgana was the one who broke it, jumping up onto the counter to look at the boy better, “Akira, it’s been two years. You… You really need to stop holding onto it.”</p>
<p>For a moment, Akira wanted to yell at him and ask just how he can get over the death of the person he loved. He wouldn’t tell that to some widow, so why was he asking it of a boy who was only 17 when he was helpless to stop the death of someone he truly loved? Someone who made him want to throw his ideals away for one man, a man who had ruined both of their lives. Someone who kept him awake at night due to dreams of him, not even nightmares, dreams of their happy memories and secret dates. How could he just stop holding on to something so precious, something he’d never have again?</p>
<p>But in a way, Morgana was right. It had been two years, and the world seemed to have moved on. There was a small search for him, but nobody had really tried that hard. When it had gone on, he was on trial, unable to keep up and see if maybe, just maybe, he really was out there. He knew he wasn’t though, he had heard the gunshot. There were small services done for him, and his fans grieved for his disappearance, but it was nothing like what Akira had truly felt and gone through. All while he was stuck in solitary. </p>
<p>Instead of replying, Akira dried his hands with a rag and walked out of the kitchen, “I’m gonna go to bed. You can stay down here with Futaba if you want, Mona, or go to her place tonight. I’m done for the day.”</p>
<p>“Wait, Akira…!” Futaba tried to stop him, but it was no use. He was already halfway up the stairs when he heard her feet hit the floor. </p>
<p>The attic was quiet, as it always was. The peace was something he was always thankful for, something so different compared to his past home. His body was heavy as it flopped onto the bed, his limbs felt like they were barely able to take off his jeans and shirt, and finally stilled when he pulled the blanket on top of him. </p>
<p>It was nights like this where he would almost expect to be pulled into the Velvet Room two years ago. He could still remember the feeling of the torn up prison jumpsuit, itchy and rough on his skin, not providing much comfort to the metal handcuffs. The voices of the twins, of the fake Igor, of Lavenza all echoed in his mind. All of them saying how he was a trickster meant to defy fate, the one who was going to save them from the terrible game their lives had been forced into.</p>
<p>Akira closed his eyes with a sigh, feeling himself pulled into sleep. He really was exhausted. </p>
<p>If he was meant to defy fate, why could he have changed Goro’s?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry I can't just set up Akeshu and not have some angst. Next chapter will be a lot better, it'll be the first concert! There's gonna be a lot of time skipping in this one folks, though I'll try to keep it linear. Also, if it wasn't obvious, I'm not going to be including the Scramble canon in this cause... we don't know what it is yet, other than what the demo told us, which wasn't much. So as far as the story is, the Metaverse never reappeared. </p>
<p>Also no, the chapter title isn't inspired by Heathers, it's by Marina. Because I have the personal headcanon that Akira's birthday is when Goro died. You're welcome.</p>
<p>Tumblr is @caramelchips!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 2: The Most Dangerous Game</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Oh, Akira had played this game before. Perhaps he shouldn’t do it again, considering where it led him last time. But with that challenging look he’s given, he knows he’s doomed. He can’t just back down at that, it would ruin his image! His pride is on the line, and all that talk from the twins telling him where to go for his ‘rehabilitation’ or all those hot baths. It would be a crime against his own heart!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first concert is never that big. Akira tells him that over and over. </p>
<p>But maybe he had his hopes up for a bit more than just thirty people. </p>
<p>Akira steps down the small step ladder he was looking out the garage window on. The boys are getting their final things set, all except for Yuuki. He’s still inside his house, getting the final things done. All of them had a star somewhere on their cheek, courtesy of Ann’s make up. Akira with a red one on his left cheek, Ryuji had a purple one above his right eye, and Yusuke had an icy blue one on his left cheek. It was a bit cheesy, but they wanted something to stand out with. Another thing that made them stand out was their old uniform trousers. Yusuke certainly stood out more with his different uniform, but he already was with the leather jacket.</p>
<p>“Honestly, couldn’t have taken you for a spike kind of guy!” Ryuji commented as he got himself comfortable on his chair. </p>
<p>“Well, it’s a common style for our type of band, and I found the placement of them rather tasteful.” Yusuke explained with a smile, adjusting it a final time. “I did have to miss out on a few breakfasts for the shoes, however.”</p>
<p>Akira rolled his eyes at that, cursing his friends' ineptitude at financing, “Oh my god, I literally live above a cafe, I’ll feed you whenever you need.”</p>
<p>“I… Don’t wish to impose…”</p>
<p>“I’ll give you a key. Wake me up. Anytime you need.” </p>
<p>At his leader’s stern gaze, the artist cleared his throat, “...Very well.”</p>
<p>Finally, Yuuki came rushing in. He wore the same uniform pants as his past classmates, but now had a white t-shirt with the first iteration of the Phantom Thieves insignia. It was unknown enough to go under the radar, and with other graphics added onto it, it looked pretty nice. A cyan sleeveless jacket is on top of it, partially zipped at the bottom, with headphones around his neck for style. Finally, he had an orange star above his left eye, finishing the theme. </p>
<p>“Sorry it took me a bit! Ann really wanted to make it look nice, and I couldn’t stop her.” Yuuki explained as he sat down at the piano. Turned out the headphones weren’t for style, as he plugged them into the keyboard. Likely to hear it better over the drums and guitar.</p>
<p>“Nah, it’s okay, we know how she is.” Ryuji waved his hand with a smile, “Y’ look good!”</p>
<p>“I had perfect timing, actually!” Suddenly, Ann was in the doorframe, leaning on it for just a moment as she looked the boys over. She nodded with a smile, satisfied with what she saw, “I can’t believe you guys are actually doing this. And actually sound good.”</p>
<p>Akira rolled his eyes, adjusting his guitar for a final time, “Of course we sound good, we’re amazing.”</p>
<p>The girl laughed, and shot him a thumbs up, “Hell yeah you are! Let’s get this show started!” She pumped her fist in the air, then left the garage door to go outside through the front.</p>
<p>Beyond the metal door, he heard her begin to pump up the small crowd for the show to start. There’s clapping and a few cheers, and even if it’s not much, it’s enough to get himself focused. Akira turned to the doors, then looked over his shoulder to get one last look at his new band. He hoped this would be the start of something amazing, much like it was years ago. Hopefully it would be a lot better than that, with everything they had to go through. </p>
<p>The doors begin to open, and he looks at the crowd, much more clearly than in the window. </p>
<p>The first person he locks eyes with is Ren, looking at him from behind a camera.</p>
<p>------</p>
<p>“The Shadows, huh?” Ren tilts his head with a small smile, leaning back in the booth, “Any meaning behind that?”</p>
<p>“Oh, not really. Just thought it sounded cool.” Akira chuckled, the lie pretty easy to do. The worker wouldn’t know about his past in Phantom Thievery after all, and normal people like him never remembered that crazy Christmas Eve. Besides, there was no need to muddle up what little break time he had with such a long and crazy story. It would only bring back painful memories in the middle of a Big Bang Burger.</p>
<p>Ren shrugged, satisfied with the answer, “Fair enough. When’s your first concert?”</p>
<p>“Next week.” Just the words made him nervous. He wasn’t one to have stage fright, but it was still a bit daunting. “Kinda crazy, honestly. Are you thinking of coming?” Right as he showed his nerves for just a second, he was back to his charm, throwing his arm across the back of the metal chair with a sly smile.</p>
<p>Instead of blushing, however, Ren just laughed and shook his head as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table, “That depends. Will you make it worth my while?” Akira could swear Ren ever so subtly lidded his eyes, looking up at him through lashes as he rested his head on his hands.</p>
<p>Oh, Akira had played this game before. Perhaps he shouldn’t do it again, considering where it led him last time. But with that challenging look he’s given, he knows he’s doomed. He can’t just back down at that, it would ruin his image! His pride is on the line, and all that talk from the twins telling him where to go for his ‘rehabilitation’ or all those hot baths. It would be a crime against his own heart!</p>
<p>Gay Chicken, the most dangerous game.</p>
<p>“More than worth it, I’m sure. I mean, you get a good view of me singing my heart out, you might not get that in a while.” It was almost spooky how easily Akira slipped into his sauve and teasing personality, even after not using it for years other than a small joke. This time, though, he actually wanted it to work on Ren, to get him blushing and laughing. </p>
<p>“Oh, you’re confident.” Ren chuckled, lower than normal. Just that told him he had experience in this little game himself. Whoever he did it with should count themselves lucky. “Confident enough to try and flirt your way into getting me to come?”</p>
<p>“Let me buy you dinner first before I’m doing that.” A dumb dirty joke, one that clarly hit it’s mark, as the boy across from him relent. His head dipped to hide his laugh, but it was obvious how hard it hit him. Akira relished in the cute giggling as he was given a playful glare. A look that told him they were in public, even if it was getting late, and to watch his mouth. Akira shook his head with a small laugh, heart skipping a beat as he got back to the conversation, “Jokes aside, I think I am confident enough. I’m also confident enough to say it’s working.”</p>
<p>Ren continued laughing for a bit, then raised his head to properly come back to the conversation. He locked eyes with Akira for a split moment, and the thief got exactly what he wanted. Maroon eyes looked away after a moment, and a soft blush rose to his cheeks. “We’ll see, I might be working then. I can’t miss any shifts these days.”</p>
<p>“Surely you can miss one? Just call in sick.” Akira tried to goad him.</p>
<p>However, Ren’s expression got a bit more serious, propping his chin on the back of his hand as his tone got more hushed, “Not really. I’m working here full time just to keep myself afloat, along with working at a convenience store. I’m looking for another part time job as well, just to make sure I’m covered.”</p>
<p>“Oh…” Akira pulled his arm into his lap, feeling a bit awkward all of a sudden. He hadn’t thought of something like that, and now he noticed how tired Ren looked. He seemed tense, and he could just barely see what looked like baggy eyes hidden by makeup, to his surprise. It was a surprise to hear him say it so honestly.</p>
<p>Before Akira could apologize, though, the other laughed softly. There was an odd look in his eyes, and his tone was wistful when he spoke, “Y’know, I think you really have something that brings out the truth in people, Kurusu…” The gaze was blinked away, and Ren looked back up at his with a small smile, “I haven’t really been able to say my troubles lately, even if it was small. Thank you.”</p>
<p>“You’re… welcome?” He chuckled, a finger going to twist a lock of hair. He saw Ren follow the movement with eyes, and the look was back for a split second. “I’ve been told that before, I think. I’ll be here often if you ever want to talk again?”</p>
<p>“I’d like that a lot. I don’t often take my break to get a bit more yen in, so you being here will remind me to take care of myself, I’m sure.” With that, Ren stood up and put his hands in his pockets, “Speaking of which, I think it’s time for me to end my break now. We usually get a few people coming in for some late food since we’re the cheapest option open.”</p>
<p>Akira gave a small groan, not wanting to leave. However, he still stood up and got out his wallet, taking out the cash to pay him with. Instead of putting it on the table, though, he gave it directly to the worker. He got a surprise look in exchange, and he explained, “Keep it on you, I doubt anyone will get mad over 500 yen not being accounted for. And if they do, tell them I wouldn’t take no for an answer, cause I won’t. Don’t try to pay me back, either.”</p>
<p>Ren seemed surprised still, then melted into a smile, “You’re very kind, Kurusu. Thank you very much.” He took the yen and put it into a pocket. Before he left, he gave him another smile with pink tinted cheeks, “Have a good night, and good luck on your concert if I can’t make it.” </p>
<p>With that, he left while Akira gathered his things. He could hardly hear his steps walking away as his heart pounded in his chest. Were it a few years ago, perhaps he would have pressed Ren on about his jobs and tried to figure out if there was a need to intervene. Things sure did change. Now all he thought about was giving the cute worker something extra to make him smile and blush. Not Shadows and rehabilitation and saving the world.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Morgana’s voice spoke up, and he looked over to his bag. He had almost forgotten he had brought him tonight. His nose poked out of the slightly open zipper, and he could see blue eyes peer from inside, “Check your back pocket, I saw him put something in there!”</p>
<p>“He did?” Akira’s eyes widened and he reached behind him, finding the pocket and digging inside. </p>
<p>“You didn’t notice? You’ve gotten rusty…” The cat remarked, trying to see what it was when his owner pulled it out. </p>
<p>It was a small slip of paper, torn off of a notebook. His already fast heart skipped a beat, and he had to swallow a lump in his throat when he saw what it was. It was a number. It even had a small heart at the end.</p>
<p>“Hey, what is it?” Morgana asked, only to be hauled up onto Akira’s shoulder. “Hey, don’t ignore me! You can tell me without being noticed!”</p>
<p>He didn’t get an answer though, as Akira rushed out the door with a smile on his face. A giddy joy he hasn’t felt in a while bubbled in his chest, making him all too eager to move and get the sudden burst of energy out. The door ringed a jingle as he went outside into the cool night air and towards the train station.</p>
<p>-----</p>
<p>Goro watched Akira leave, a smile on his face as he saw him holding the paper he had slipped into his pocket. The guy must be rusty if he had to have Morgana point it out to him. He had heard the cat get on his case a bit, and had to hold back from laughing and giving himself away. The leader of the Phantom Thieves sure hasn’t lost his charm, though. </p>
<p>“Oh my God, that was the cutest thing!” His coworker commented as he went back around the counter, a large grin on her face, “I can’t believe you actually did it!”</p>
<p>“You told me to do it next time he came, and so I came prepared.” Goro shrugged nonchalantly, though his heart was racing as what he had done really sank in. He leaned on the counter with a sigh and smile, only to sink all the way down on it. He groaned as his face heated up, “When he texts me, I’m going to die, and in my final moments I’ll blame you for my death, Sachiko.”</p>
<p>Sachiko laughed loudly, giving him a playful shove, “Oh, hush, you dramatic baby! You should be thanking me!”</p>
<p>Despite his anxieties, Goro couldn’t help but laugh with her. The woman had been a big help in getting the guts to do something like that, without even knowing the history between them. Well, not like Akira knew it either. No one knew, and that was good.</p>
<p>Still, he couldn’t help but wish Akira really did know. He wished that Akira had recognized him just by his eyes when he first walked into the door and saw the much different ex-detective. In a way, he wanted to tell him so badly, to reach out and tell him that he was alive. Every now and then his past life would come up, and he could see the look the raven got. Goro told himself he was just seeing things, that there was no way Akira of all people would truly miss him, that it was just pity. </p>
<p>But what they had wasn’t pity, and he knows it. Goro just hopes he can help Akira move on from the puppet of a boy he one knew.</p>
<p>-----</p>
<p>“Japanese garage band hits one million views in less than a week! Can you believe it?!” Ann reads the magazine cover she’s shoved in Akira’s face, then pulls it back to flip to the pages dedicated to them and put it on the table between her and her friends, “Look! Read it!”</p>
<p>Akira’s crowded by the band members as he looks down to read aloud, “‘The internet proves once again that anyone can become famous when it comes to word of mouth. Seemingly overnight, a new band called The Shadows bursts in popularity with a cover of the English song by Lady Gaga, Bad Romance, hits over a million views. Other covers and their original songs also hit well, with over 500,000 views on one of the originals, Price.’”</p>
<p>“For real?!” Ryuji cuts him off, pulling out his phone to check for himself. </p>
<p>“It’s way over a million by now, it’s crazy!” Ann says, leaning over the table to try and see his phone to see the latest number.</p>
<p>“It seems we’ve gone viral!” Yusuke comments, reading the rest of the article to himself while the rest of the group is in commotion with a satisfied smile, “For the second time in our lives, as well.”</p>
<p>Akira looks around in shock to see most of his friends on their phones to check the number, or over his shoulder reading the article. From beside him, Ryuji exclaims once again, “Holy shit! It’s at two million now! Are you kidding me?!” His finger swipes, refreshing it to see the number only continue to slowly tick up. </p>
<p>Makoto flips her phone to show a muted performance of Price, “The original songs are still gaining traction, too! This one is at 700,000 instead of 500!”</p>
<p>“550,000 for King, Queen, and Slave!” Haru piped up, putting her phone away with the announcement, “Aki-kun, this is amazing news! I’m so happy for you!”</p>
<p>“Hey, the rest of us played a part in this too!” Ryuji defended, though smiled at his best friend, “Then again, I guess we wouldn’t have done it without you. This is the second time you’ve done something like this for us, dude!”</p>
<p>Akira played with his hair as the group rang with agreement. He didn’t even know what to say, deciding to just keep quiet for now as the others got excited. Though, he was incredibly excited that something like this was happening. It was beyond anything he could imagine, and it was all so sudden. Perhaps that’s why he decided to just stay quiet while the others talked. He heard something about Big Bang Burger and a celebration, but he just sort of nodded along to whatever was asked of him. Simply basking in his enjoyment with his friends. </p>
<p>This would surely be the start of something amazing, and Akira was excited for it not to involve any monsters this time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 3: Where Have You Been?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>For the second time in his life, he had just revealed he can understand a talking cat.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>SORRY THIS CHAPTER TOOK SO LONG Y'ALL!! writers block is one hell of a bitch, but here it is! I honestly didn't see this ending like it did, but I kind of like it, and hope you do too! This may change up some plans, but not many. Enjoy!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Y’know, some people are saying you’ll just be a one hit wonder like some other idols. What do you think of that?” Ren asked, rather nonchalant for the words. The question was almost accusatory, but his tone was simply curious. </p>
<p>Akira hummed, leaning back in the booth of Leblanc. It had been a few months, and boy had they been hectic. Akira and his band had to figure out how to work record and publishing deals, as well as gather the funds for such things. The raven had to start working some of his old jobs again, this time with no Metaverse to steal from to get extra cash. What had started as a fun thing to do was now turning into something huge, even if it might turn out exactly how Ren says it might. He was getting noticed on the street, was signing a few autographs, taking pictures with fans, having an influence on where people go… The others were experiencing the same thing. It was so weird going from blending in the crowd to being noticed by various girls and women.</p>
<p>“Well, even if it did, I’m still having fun.” Akira finally came to his answer, a small smile on his face. Despite everything changing, it was true. He was having a lot of fun! Singing, dancing, writing, and meeting new people were all rather fun for him. Sure, he wasn’t as extroverted as some of the higher ups wanted him to be, but that still had its own charm to it for some people. </p>
<p>Ren chuckled, bringing the cup of black coffee up to his lips and taking a sip. There was something odd in his look again, but it was gone when he changed the subject, “Y’know, there’s something about this cafe that’s very homey. I have no doubt it’s because to you, it is home.”</p>
<p>“Hey, living above a cafe isn’t bad at all!” Akira jokingly defended, “I get to hear all kinds of old people gossip about Yongen Jaya.”</p>
<p>That got a bit of a louder laugh out of Ren, if only because the other’s expression was way too smug to be real for the lame thing he just said. Akira chuckled with him, feeling his heart skip a beat at the smile on his crush’s face. He really was head over heels, wasn’t he? </p>
<p>That thought made his heart go still, and seem to sink into his stomach. Something was achingly familiar about this, and he heard his laughter stop while Ren continued. </p>
<p>For just a moment, he could see the one he lost, laughing and letting his perfect mask down around the one he loved. The one he hadn’t told he loved yet, but was unbeknownst to the student that they’d both be confessing soon. A simple rainy day during the dreaded rainy season, one that seemed like no other. Other than the fact that a labeled delinquent was hanging out with a detective celebrity, and that said delinquent was falling in love with him.</p>
<p>Akira didn’t know why he was still seeing things like this. It happened every time he tried to go find other people, to try and move on. Ren wasn’t the first he had a crush on ever since Goro, and wasn’t the first he invited back into Leblanc. Yet, every time, it always ended like this. He would make a joke, show a random skill off, talk about an anime he was into, it could be anything. They could do anything, and somehow, he would see the brunette detective, and he would have to end it short. Sometimes he wouldn’t even talk to them after that.</p>
<p>He still wanted to talk to Ren, his own hang ups wouldn’t end that so quickly. But tonight would have to end soon. Before he could turn in for the night, his fallen expression was noticed and quickly called out, “Kurusu, are you okay? Did I say something?”</p>
<p>“No, no! Not your fault at all.” Akira quickly corrected himself, putting on a small smile, “I just, uh… got a bit lost in thought.”</p>
<p>Ren squinted at him, an eyebrow raised, “The look you had wasn’t ‘lost in thought’, it was sadder than that.” </p>
<p>Akira laughed awkwardly, not knowing what else to do under that glare. He was never good when it came to people being worried about him, always wanting to focus his attention to their problems instead of his. Makoto told him it wasn’t a good habit, but he could never really stop. When he said nothing, the other man sighed, but didn’t give up, “You’ve been doing this a lot recently. Seriously, have I said something? Don’t be afraid to tell me.”</p>
<p>There was a small pause, and his smile dropped. He hadn’t actually told anyone new about something like this. Akira sunk a bit deeper into his seat, unable to look Ren in the eyes, or at all. He stared down at his hands, stiff in his lap. With a deep breath, he began, “I… had this boyfriend before, and he was amazing. Like, everything you could dream of. I mean, not to say we were perfect, obviously we weren’t. He was busy, really busy, and had a bad habit of masking his feelings.”</p>
<p>“Like you’re doing right now?”</p>
<p>“That’s fair.” Akira chuckled slightly, knowing just how hypocritical he was, “But… we were happy. He told me that I made him happier than anyone else. He was depressed and angry about a lot of things at the same time, and he told me I gave him some relief. I never forgot that.”</p>
<p>“You didn’t?” Ren echoed, eyes wide in surprise. </p>
<p>“Of course not, it was really sweet!” Akira smiled again, remembering just how softly Goro had said it, how honest it was. Like he was almost scared to say it but said it anyway, because it was to him, and he trusted him with such a scary thing like their relationship. When he continued though, the smile fell. </p>
<p>Instead of confession late at night, he could hear Goro’s gritted voice begging to make one last deal. He saw his hands hidden by red gloves, banging on the metal wall. He could hear gunshots, and he slightly caved in on himself as the memory seemed to repeat as if new and fresh. It always did, and he hated it. </p>
<p>Forcing himself to speak, he finished his story, “He ended up… dying though. People hardly looked for him.”</p>
<p>“Oh…” Ren’s voice was soft, seemingly not expecting that outcome. There was a heavy silence, one where it seemed neither of them wanted to talk. That is, until Ren once again spoke, “You… You’re an amazing person, Akira. Who I just saw as some flirty yet charming regular has turned out to be an amazing friend, and someone who can listen to my problems without me fearing judgement. I thank you for that, and for being open with me about this.”</p>
<p>Akira’s eyes widened, surprised at the soft sincerity of his voice and the statement. It was like he knew that something like that would never be proven wrong. And to be thanked for sharing his troubles? He hadn’t expected that. A voice in his mind had told him that he shouldn’t tell someone special like Ren any of this, but somehow, that voice was gone now. Was this what Goro felt? His surprised expression melted into a small smile, and he felt his heart once again beat fast as he saw it mimicked in Ren, “It’s not a problem, you’re great too. Sorry to just lay that out like that.”</p>
<p>“Don’t apologize, okay? I want to help you move on from this, just as you’ve helped me with my troubles.” Red eyes were warm and inviting, showing nothing but care for the man across from him. To any outsider it would be obvious what feelings were between them, but after such a confession, both of them knew not to make moves on it so quickly.</p>
<p>Akira simply nodded, sitting up a bit taller in the booth. He watched as Ren took a deep breath and finished his coffee, then piped up again, “Can you… stay the night? If you don’t have a shift tomorrow, that is. I don’t wanna mess with your work.”</p>
<p>As if remembering life existed outside of this moment, Ren looked at his phone, pulling up his schedule. He looked a bit confused at it, then seemed to remember and got nervous. He looked up at the younger man, who looked ready to apologize again. There was that odd look again, the one Akira could never really place, the look that kept the overworked man mysterious. Then, he smiled with a deep breath, and put his phone back into his pocket, “I suppose I can call in sick tomorrow. We aren’t very busy on Thursdays anyway.”</p>
<p>The worried expression turned into a large grin, and Akira pushed himself out of the booth, “Great! Seems my nefarious attitude has swayed you once again.”</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t give yourself that much credit!” Ren laughed, “After getting to know you, you’re not even close to nefarious. Besides, you’ve gotten so big lately, who knows the next time I’ll be able to get a private performance?”</p>
<p>Akira raised a brow, a devious smile on his face, “You want me in private now, do you? Hot.”</p>
<p>“Oh my god, just clean up already!” </p>
<p>------</p>
<p>The phone told him it was midnight, as if Akira’s snores didn’t say that enough. Goro shifted in the futon they had pulled from the storage, unable to find a truly comfortable position. Were it two years ago, he’d be cuddled up to the raven, comfortable and warm, even if the bed was supported by crates. Now, he was stuck on the floor. </p>
<p>He sighed into the rather empty feeling attic. If he wasn’t going to sleep, might as well not get too warm in the futon. Unplugging his phone from the charger, he got out of his blankets and went downstairs. Leblanc was always a place of comfort to him, even in the last times he was here. His steps were light as he made his way down stairs, hoping the creaky steps wouldn’t wake his host. </p>
<p>When he was finally down in the main area, he looked around it another time. Almost nothing had changed in two years, just a few more decorations. Even the Sayuri was still up. He’s surprised Kitagawa didn’t take it when he moved into college dorms. One thing he didn’t notice before was an odd plush on the counter, and he held it up to get a better look at it in the dark. It looked like a sheep, but standing upright and wearing… underwear?</p>
<p>Goro shook his head and put it back, deciding it was just some odd thing Akira had picked up. He simply took a few more steps and sat in the barstool he used to sit in whenever he’d visit. In the chair, he looked around the silent cafe again, feeling a thorn in his heart. He truly did miss this place, he’s glad he can be back, but at the same time knows he shouldn’t be. He’s trying to move on from that life, and he wants Akira to as well. Why is it so difficult?</p>
<p>He decided to simply busy himself with his phone, scrolling through social media. Either he would pass out on the counter or the sun would rise first, as he was willing to wait for either. Not like it’s the first time in Ren’s life that he pulled an all nighter. It would make it all the more convincing when he called in sick tomorrow.</p>
<p>While scrolling through, however, he finds a video with Akira on the thumbnail. It must have been from his most recent concert from last week. A shame he wasn’t able to go, though the band had told him all about it. With a tap of the screen, Akira’s singing and the loud music filled his ears. He quickly turned it down so as not to wake anyone up, but still have him able to hear the wonderful noise.</p>
<p>Their signature cover.</p>
<p>It was cheesy, but it was the song that really mesmerized him. Akira was able to hit such high notes for his voice, and so well. Not to mention, the song was very fitting for a pair like them. Maybe that’s why the raven had chosen it. Something like a message to Goro, telling him he still loves him.</p>
<p>No, Akira loves Ren now. And he can’t be both anymore. He really had to end this.</p>
<p>“He’s pretty great, isn’t he?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, he is…”</p>
<p>“Huh?!”</p>
<p>Goro’s eyes widen and his head whips around to see just who he feared. Morgana, staring at him, clearly being the one who spoke. He hadn’t even thought, maybe even thought it was a voice inside his head, but it clearly wasn’t. </p>
<p>For the second time in his life, he had just revealed he can understand a talking cat.</p>
<p>“How can you-?”</p>
<p>“Don’t say another word, Mona, you hear me?” Goro hissed out, not hiding the venom in his voice anymore. He turned his phone off, stopping the video that had begun to loop. He hadn’t even heard the damn thing come down! He must have woken him up when the video started.</p>
<p>Suddenly, it clicked in the cat’s pale blue eyes. Despite the warning, he spoke again, voice hush and full of awe, “You’re… alive. You’re Akechi.”</p>
<p>“No!” Goro tried to defend, but had nothing to really defend himself with. The only proof he had to show right now was his face, and Morgana had clearly seen behind that. Eyes darted around the room, looking for nothing in particular. Time, he needed time, but you can’t just find it. Suddenly he was faced with the reality that his identity had been found once again by this stupid feline, and now he was probably going to tell his leader, just like last time.</p>
<p>Just on cue, Morgana turned to go up the stairs, but thankfully he had seen this coming this time. Goro quickly darts out of the seat and swoops him up, causing the cat to yowl in surprise. Goro shoved him under his arm to hold him and muffled him with a hand, “Shut up, not another word! If you go off and tell Akira, I swear, I’ll kill you for real this time!” An empty threat, one of desperation, but it got the damn thing to shut up. “Yes, okay, you caught me! I’m alive. I didn’t intend to be, trust me. Were it my way, I really would have died in that damn ship. But no, I’m alive, I have been for years, and if you promise not to tell him, I’ll explain. Is it a deal?”</p>
<p>There was a pause, then suddenly there was a sharp pain in his hand covering Morgana’s mouth. He pulled it away, ready to throw the furball out the door, but he spoke before he could. “Only if you give me a good reason not to in your explanation. Let me go and sit in the booth, we’ll talk.”</p>
<p>Goro sighed, and in one last moment of spite, quickly moved the arm holding Morgana away, making him fall and flail to the ground. He got a hiss for that, but he couldn’t help but smile in the feeling of gratification finally winning against the furball. He had already ruined the plans for his past life, he wasn’t going to mess up this one.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Oh my god, I'm making a big series and not just something with one or two chapters?? Holy shit. I hope y'all enjoyed this, and very very excited to get into this AU. You can probably see a few things coming, but that's gonna be the fun with this! You may see it coming, but how will I do it? Tbh even I don't really know, but I hope it will be good at least. </p>
<p>Tumblr is @caramelchips if you wish to follow me or ask me about the AU, as well as other things. Hope to update you guys soon!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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